'Brainstorming', the buzzword used by executives to generate ideas among their staff, has been deemed politically incorrect by civil servants because it is thought to be offensive to people with brain disorders.
Instead staff at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) in Belfast will use the term 'thought-showers' when they get together to think creatively. A spokeswoman said: 'The DETI does not use the term brainstorming on its training courses on the grounds that it may be deemed pejorative.'
Sources inside the department said there was concern that the term would cause offence to people with epilepsy as well those with brain tumours or brain injuries.
But the Campaign for Plain English complained that the decision had 'reached the point of real ridicule'.
'You do sometimes wonder if some people haven't got anything better to do with their time,' said spokesman John Wild.
(Now brainstorms are off the agenda
By Henry McDonald, Ireland editor
Sunday June 26, 2005
The Observer )
See:
(The New Thought Police: Inside the Left's Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds, by Tammy Bruce)
No comments:
Post a Comment